There are some carmakers that go about building cars as if they don't really care about what their competitors are up to. They hide some of the most often used controls in places where you'd least expect to find them.

There are exceptions, Saab for example, has well-documented reasons, most concerning safety, for locating their cars' ignition keys on the central console. But why some other manufacturers choose to do certain things is truly baffling.

Fiat, for instance, equips some of its models with unnecessary features such as a button that lightens the steering effort on an already feather-light system. And let's not even get started on Citroën, which makes cars with quirks that are too numerous to mention here.

While all this might sound like a recipe for marketing disaster, car lovers the world over should be glad that brands like these, and Alfa Romeo, exist for they still persevere in giving us cars that stand out from the quagmire of competent but boring sedans that threaten to overrun our streets. And since we're constantly being told to think out of the proverbial box, cars like these are a nice match.

Alfa's latest creation, the 159, exemplifies this out of the box maxim. It's an all-new replacement for the long serving 156. As with the 156, Alfa expects this new car to be the company's most important model. As a measure of its confidence in its new product, Alfa unabashedly names cars like the Audi A4 and BMW 3 Series as the 159's intended rivals. A very tall order indeed.

We drove the Alfa Brera several issues ago. The Brera is essentially the 159?s fraternal twin, differentiated only by a coupe bodystyle that oozes sex appeal. Disappointingly, the Brera's dynamic ability never quite matched the way it looks, a fact that doesn't spell good news for the mechanically-similar 159.

DRIVING IT

If the Brera's styling were to warrant an R rating, the 159 comes across as NC16, still sexy but not entirely inappropriate for your kids. For this reason, psychologically, we weren't expecting as much from the 185bhp 2.2-litre direct injection powerplant.

However, the considerably more perky nature of the powerplant in its 159 application came as a big surprise. The 159 feels much lighter than the Brera, and as a result, much of the lethargy that plagued the latter was absent.

No thanks to hiccups in the supply chain, the entry-level 2.2-litre 159 is only available with a six-speed manual transmission for now. We could go on and on about how sweet the gearshift action is (which it is) and how responsive it makes the car (which it does) but it wouldn't matter because of the local market's aversion to swapping ratios manually.

If it's of any recompense, the closely-stacked ratios and a usefully torquey engine allows you to be lazy with the gear changes. On the expressways for example, leaving the gearbox in sixth is good enough for just about any occasion save for the odd rush-hour snarl up. The clutch is very light, too much so in fact, and its biting point is fiendishly hard to discern.

Interestingly, the 159 also comes off as a superb long distance cruiser. It's very quiet, even at high speeds, and the ride is excellent. It's easy to see how the simple addition of an automatic gearbox option could instantly bump up the 159's appeal to no end, it's refined as anything that wears a German or Swedish badge.

Although this Alfa has acquired a newfound panache for straight roads and passenger cosseting, it's heartening to know that Alfa still hasn't forgotten that handling still matters, especially when a twisty road shows up. The steering is nice and accurate, if a little lacking in feel, and the car turns in very positively.

INSIDE IT

Here is another area where Alfa quirks continue to polarise opinion. The 159's cabin is much more streamlined than before, less of a fighter plane cockpit in other words, but it's still a motley collection a dimples and curves, strewn with various instrument dials.

The fuel and water temperature gauge for instance is right where you'd expect the radio to be, and the quite-important release for the boot is located, wait for it, on the roof...

Trips to the drive-thru or take-away drinks also don't seem to factor into Alfa's design team's list of priorities either as cup-holders and oddments space are all in short supply. Passenger room is very good though, there's acres of space in front and in the back, even for taller passengers.

Everything's well put together, though, with nary a squeak or rattle to be heard, and most of the materials used are of very high quality. The leatherwork on the seats is particularly good.

DOLLARS AND SENSE

At $128,800 with COE, the 159 shares turf with the likes of the Lexus IS250, et all. Which also means that there are plenty of alternatives to choose from for the money.

As we mentioned earlier, an automatic gearbox would even up the odds in the 159's favour. Still, the car looks far better than most of its rivals, there's plenty of kit, and the interior is charming on the whole, despite its idiosyncrasies. If you're looking for more oomph, you'll need to spend another $44,000 for the 250bhp 3.2-litre V6 variant.

Fans of Alfa's F1-style flappy paddle shift system, otherwise known as Selespeed, will have to wait until the beginning of 2007 for it to appear in the 159.

VERDICT

Much as Alfa's bean counters would like to believe otherwise, the 159 is not a car for everyone. It's too much of an acquired taste, especially considering the fact that most drivers want to feel right at home the instant they get into a car.

Instead, the 159 is, and should be, treated like most other Italian products. The sort that are unconventional yet stylish and demand a change (some say improvement) of your lifestyle to suit their design, rather than the other way around.

NEED TO KNOW

Model: Alfa Romeo 2.2 JTS
Engine Type: 2,198cc 16V in-line four
Max Power: 185bhp at 6500rpm
Max torque: 230Nm at 4500rpm
Gearbox: six-speed manual
Top speed: 222km/h
0-100km/h: 8.8 seconds
Price: $128,800 with COE
Warranty: 3 years/ 60,000km
Contact: EuroAutomobile
Telephone: 6566-2200

PLUSES:

Fun to drive, stylish, smooth engine

MINUSES:

interior quality need improvement

VERDICT:

Style, good handling and a decent drive if you don't mind a manual gearbox.

SIMILAR CARS WE HAVE DRIVEN

Saab 9-3 2.0T $122,888 with COE
Like the Alfa, the Saab 9-3 also suffers from a cabin that leaves something to be desired. It offers the convenience of an automatic though but the manual Alfa is more engaging.

Volvo S40 2.4T $134,500 with COE
Three years on, the Volvo S40's shape still looks fresh. Clever but cramped cabin, steering feel is the best in the Swedish carmaker's line-up.